The previously catheterized radial artery is safe to use during coronary artery bypass grafting

Transradial cardiac catheterization (TRC) and radial artery (RA) use during coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) have become more frequent. Several studies have suggested decreased patency of the catheterized RA (c-RA). We sought to compare the patency of the c-RA versus the non-catheterized RA (nc-RA) in CABG patients.

Fifty-one patients undergoing CABG with bilateral RA grafting and who had prior TRC were retrospectively evaluated using cardiac computerized tomographic angiography (CTA) to assess for graft patency. Each patient had a c-RA and nc-RA utilized for CABG and thus each patient served as their own control. The right RA was used for cardiac catheterization in all patients. Patency rates were calculated based on the number of distal anastomoses.

Average age was 58.6 years and 5 (10%) were female. There were no deaths in the 51 patients. The mean time from TRC to CABG was 16 (1-141) days and from CABG to follow up CTA was 618 (29-1787) days. The c-RA and nc-RA demonstrated no statistically significant differences in overall patency when grafted to only left sided target vessels (83% vs. 88%; P=0.51). The c-RA had a numerically lower patency than the nc-RA when grafted to right sided vessels (60% vs. 79%; P=0.39). Overall patency was not significantly different for the c-RA and nc-RA (79% vs. 86%; P=0.34).

The c-RA and the nc-RA, demonstrated no statistically significant differences in overall patency suggesting that instrumentation of the RA may not be an absolute contraindication for use as a bypass graft during CABG.